By Trinity Kamwani

Neno, September 27, Mana: The future of 20 students at Chiwale Secondary School in Neno hangs in the balance due to unpaid school fees amounting to K6.6 million.

According to the school’s head teacher, Moses Chapo, the students were promised a bursary by a well-wisher, but no payments have been made for the past three terms.

Chapo said the school had allowed the students to attend classes as the benefactor had been in communication with the District Education Office.

“Unfortunately, the well-wisher did not pay any fees, leading to arrears for three terms in the 2023/24 school year,” Chapo said.

He revealed that nine students, with balances of K400, 000 each, have already been sent home to raise the money. Some students’ parents have been paying whatever little they can afford after realizing the promised support was not forthcoming.

“It’s heartbreaking as some of these students are very bright but now their future is uncertain,” Chapo added.

Chiwale Secondary School bursar, Annes Chimtengo, said the unpaid fees are affecting the school operations which owes K8 million to suppliers of food and firewood.

She expressed doubts about whether the students would be able to settle their balances as they come from poor families, adding that the situation has worsened since the tuition fees were raised from K100, 000 to K150, 000 per term.

“Most of the parents in this community live on hand-to-mouth, relying on subsistence farming. Raising school fees in these conditions is nearly impossible,” Chimtengo observed.

Director of Education, Youth and Sports for Neno District Council, Foster Magombo, said he was unaware of the situation, saying he was new in office suggesting that the school should have followed up with the well-wisher earlier.

Magombo, therefore, appealed to other well-wishers to assist the students to protect them from being withdrawn from school.